What Texas Tech basketball fans need to know about NC State

Texas Tech should be able to score on NC State

If you look at when the Red Raiders have struggled this year, it was against teams like Houston, Iowa State, UCF, Cincinnati, and Villanova. All of those teams have one thing in common; they can apply tremendous defensive pressure.

Fortunately, that isn't the case with NC State. In fact, the Wolfpack is a pretty poor defensive squad all the way around.

In the KenPom.com adjusted defensive efficiency rating, the Wolfpack is just No. 89 nationally. To put that in perspective, they give up more points per 100 possessions than such teams as George Mason, Davidson, South Florida, Marist, and Merrimack to name a few.

Overall, only one player on their entier roster, forward Mohammed Diarra, has a defensive rating below 100 (which is considered average). He is at 98.2 points allowed per 100 possessions.

By contrast, every player on Houston's team is below 100 in that statistic. Similarly, all but one of Iowa State's players are below 100, and the one who isn't appeared in only eight games this season.

This year, NC State gave up 80 or more points seven times. That includes in games against non-NCAA Tournament teams Louisville, Pitt, Florida State, and Syracuse. Thus, this is a team that the Red Raiders should be able to score against.